Seattle Department of Transportation
SDOT Bridge Residency for Animators
- Deadline:
- Budget: $10,000
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Eligibility: This call is open to local artists who have no prior City of Seattle commissions and no prior commissions with project budgets exceeding $20,000.
The Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) seeks two artists specializing in animation for a unique residency program in two of Seattle’s historic bridge towers: the Fremont Bridge and University Bridge.
This year’s residency is designed for animation artists and welcomes a wide range of animation techniques, including but not limited to traditional animation, stop motion, anime, 3D animation, cut-out animation, and rotoscoping.
Animation is an ideal medium for this residency because it offers unparalleled flexibility in storytelling and visual experimentation. Artists can weave narratives that celebrate the history, engineering, and community significance of Seattle’s historic bridges, while reimagining their iconic qualities in ways that transcend the limitations of physical reality. The medium’s capacity to bring fantastical concepts to life makes it uniquely suited to capturing the imagination and inspiring new ways of seeing these landmarks.
Artists are encouraged to explore and reflect on themes such as the bridges’ engineering marvels, SDOT data, cultural and historical significance, or their metaphorical role in connecting communities.
The work developed through this residency will be featured in the ARTS at King Street Station Gallery in a February 2026.
More Information: seattlearts.submittable.com